My story

[shantala]

Hi Smita

That's great thank you - no overexplanation at all. I was roughly aware of the procedure but got confused when he said they would regulate my AF. I got confused as the information says that you have to call them on the first day of your AF in order to start the down reg injections but of course mine are all over the place and some aren't proper AFs, if you know what I mean. Maybe they'll just start it any time then!

i got the results of my DH's sperm and it tells me about count, motility, etc but no overall percentage as such. for example, on count it says that it should be >20 (million) and my DH's is 0.23 (ie 1.15% of an average man's sperm). would 1.15% be the morphology percentage then? sorry, i'm not very good with common sense...

xx

[shantala]

Hi Olivia

Thanks for your success story - I think I've just worked out that my DH's morphology is 1.15% - didn't quite realise how low it was until I worked it out! But your story gives me hope.

xx

[Smita]

Shantala and Helly,
Like Olivia says,
it takes just one!Olivia, its good to see you on here Hows lil Joe?

S,
by the way, morphology tells you what percentage of your partners sperm is normal - That is the figures would be something like this- if your partners sperm count is 40million/ml, then out of those 40 million, they'd tell you how many are highlymotile, how many slow motile, how many percent immotile, how many normal, how many abnormal etc- as in what percentage of your partners sperm- If I have 100 sperm, then out of which only 50 are highly motile and normal, 30 are slow motile but normal,10 are slow motile and abnormal, 10 are immotile..
motility helps the docs to decide the need for ICSI(where they inject the sperm into the egg)vs regular IVF- or so I think.. could be wrong ..

Yep, they tell you to call them on the 1st day of AF to start dwnrgging, or on the 21st day- depends on the protocol followed for each woman..

smita

[shantala]

Smita - thanks. ok that means that overall he has 1% of an average man's sperm count and of that only 25% are motile or sluggish (about 3% motile and 22% sluggish) I think (I'm at work so this is what I remember)...not looking good then...that explains why the consultant suggested ICSI.

thanks for that Smita

x

[nes]

Hi,

Just wanted to say welcome to the site. Me and my partner were trying for around 4 years to get pregnant. During that time I had various investigations and when I was 24 I had both of my tubes removed... because they were just knackered and would have affected my chances of a succesful IVF cycle.

I found things very hard to come to terms with and I was on so many waiting lists, but eventually I started my first cycle of IVF in August 2005, and now we are the very proud parents of twins! We have a son and a daughter who are the most gorgeous babies ever!!!

I just wanted to say that after so much hard work, if it could work for me then I am sure things could also work for you. I was so low and didn't really have much of a support network as such, but I found everyone on this sight to be so amazin and informative. I would have been so lost without having everyone to listen to my moaning!!!

Wishing you all lots of luck with you're treatments.

[DioneT2002]

Welcome to the board new ladies!
Some encouragement for you...my husband had very, I mean very poor sperm. He had a vericocele and had surgery to have it removed and we were told that it would take a year to know if it worked. Of course by that time we had been TTC for 2 years and were beyond impatient. When the fertility clinic saw DH sperm scores, they said we would have to go straight to IVF with ICSI as IUI would not work.
So, we did. We started our first cycle in July, 2006 and after our first try, are so excited to be 13 weeks pregnant with TWINS (two embies put back). It is so feasible that it will work for you! Always keep in mind that although it can be stressful and emotional, it is only a month of your life and you may be blessed with a baby (or two, or three) in the end. Go for it and share your journey with all of us. This is THE most supportive site you will find.
Blessing to both of you as you make decisions / wait, wait, wait (this is just the beginning of the wait, trust me). We are all ready to read YOUR success stories!
Dione

[Yllka]

Hi Helly
My husband and I have been trying for nearly one year but we have found out that my husband's sperm has a really, really low count and its motility is beyond low.
Shantala x

Hi Shantala

Male factor problems as low sperm count or low sperm motility, can often be overlooked by the medical establishment in relation to fertility, with all the emphasis usually being placed on the female partner, despite the fact that around 40% of cases of unexplained infertility are now thought to be attributable to them..

My DH is taken Andriol testocaps and Tamoxifen pch tablet for three month to increase the cuality of sperms. First, you have to demand the doctor’s advice for the further help!

I hope this would help...

[helly]

Hi Ladies,

Once again thanks to all for your information!!

Nes and DioneT2002 - Congratulations on having twins. Oh how lovely!!!In fact, I am a twin myself. Did you both request two embies to be transferred? This is what I would like to do but at IVF Australia they will only transfer one unless your over the age of 38. I would really prefer to do two that way if one dosen't survive you've always got the other one so it's double the chance. If they both survive well that fine two, my DH and I would be happy with that. Is there a high risk the two embies could split and I have quads....?? I wonder if being a twin myself the chances increase. Anybody know??

Shantala has your DH considered trying accupunture? I hear it's very good for sperm problems.

H x

[DioneT2002]

The clinic that I went to bases the number transferred on the woman's age as well. For anyone younger than 35, they automatically transfer 2. Sure, they could split and become triplets or quads but we are well past the point of that happening. (Thank goodness!) We are thrilled to be having two!
Dione

[shantala]

Hello all

i'm sorry i've not written for ages and have missed all these replies but i didn't receive any emails to let me know about the replies. not like i used to...

Nes and Dione - congratulations on your twins! it is so nice to hear of these stories as it really gives me hope! i am so pleased for you both. Nes - I love your twins' names! (Dione - I don't know the names of yours so no offence).

Yllka - thanks for your advice. I'll look into those tablets and discuss them with our GP. Good luck with everything.

Helly - how are you doing? I'm still impatient but I have been told that we shouldn't have to wait the full 3 months to be seen and that it is very rare to have to wait that long. apparently they just say 3 months as they have to give a time cap to comply with government stuff. so that's exciting as we should start this year still now. was it you that said you should be starting in december? if so, then we might be in it together!

also, in the UK 2 embryos are transferred if you are under the age of 40 and 3 if over 40. however, i did hear in the news the other day that they are thinking about changing the recommendation to 1 if you are under 40. i really hope not.

does anybody have any ideas if massages and reflexology is allowed whilst having ivf?

xx

[shantala]

Hi Helly

I received a letter in the post today and we have got an appointment with the consultant on the 4th December. Hope you hear from yours soon.

Shantala xx

[meg12]

My story sounds a lot like yours. We've been married 4 years---thought for sure we'd be pregnant at least once by now! I seem to check out okay--his sperm count is pretty low. We've tried supplements for the past year or so---the Dr said our only real hope is probably ivf so we're trying in November. It's hard, huh? My husband has really struggled with it--feels like he's letting me down, not a real man, etc. I try to reassure him that I love him no matter what, but that's hard when I'm so focused on getting pg. Anyway, what can you do, right?

[helly]

Hi Ladies,

Shantala - Thats exciting news to have your appointment on the 4th Dec! Good luck to you! In Australia you call on the first day of your AF and then they book you in 22 days later. For me I'm due on the 5th Dec and it will be 19 days later which is the 23rd Dec (otherwise 22 days later falls on Boxing Day and they are closed). So I'll be starting the nasal spray from the 23rd Dec.

Meg - My DH went through the same emotions. Kept saying he feels less of a man due to his sperm problems. I know it's really hard cause we are supporting them, reasuring them, telling them how much we love them but at the same time we feel so low ourselves that we are still not pregnant yet!! I guess we have to think ourselves lucky, that these days there are options and we are able look towards IVF if it doesn't happen naturally. Good luck with IVF in Nov, keep us posted.

H x

[shantala]

Hi meg12

welcome to this site - i'm new as well and i can honestly say it's been unbelievable how friendly people are on here and how much of a help everyone is!

my DH has low sperm count too and motility is low too (he has about 1% of an average man's sperm and of that 1% only 3% works) so we have to go for IVF and ICSI. like yours, he has been really down and feeling like it's his fault but i keep telling him too that it's not a problem. it is hard though. at the end of the day, you don't say to a man before you marry him (or get together with him) "excuse me, could you take a sperm test first?", do you?

shantala xx

[meg12]

I know--it's so hard to get past the blame game. I have a good friend who did ivf 7 times before adopting due to her fertility problems. She said it's such an ugly thing inside of you when it's your "fault". I tried to tell her that I honestly don't see it as fault--my husband and I are in this together no matter what--but she says that it's really hard to get past it when you are the one with the problems. Guilt is a funny thing.
I just try to stay positive and pray this works. It's so hard when it seems like everyone around you is pregnant. Ugh.